[Interview] G.L.A.M.S @ Fan Base Project

Before his show at the Fan Base Project convention I sat down with Mikaru to talk about his project for an interview, in which we spoke about his different forms of art, his exposition of paintings in Paris last year and his hopes for the future of G.L.A.M.S.

I also want to thank Kairai1414 for their help in translating this interview.

01. G.L.A.M.S combines music with art, fashion, photography… Everything creative. How did you decide to put all of this together? Doesn’t it feel like ‘a lot’ all at once for you as a person?Mikaru: I just happened to feel like painting the jacket of the “BLACK LINE” CD myself, and that was the start of my painting history. After that I came to love painting more and more, and I couldn’t stop myself from holding the solo exhibition of my works.
Music is my main work, therefore I want to continue composing many different genres of music.
Initially I love to wear jewelry, so I create the jewelry that may suit the girls, or what I’d like to see them wear.
It’s not easy to handle all three at once though. They’re all very interesting, so it doesn’t feel like it is “a lot” for me.

02. Since this project reflects you as a person, how did you pick the other people involved? Was there anything special you were looking for which they have?Mikaru: Yes, there was something special to each one of them indeed. I create the prototype of the song, and I ask my partner Tecchan to arrange it. After that I ask Yudai to add the guitar sound because I love his style of playing. After that I ask Syu to add drum sounds. Finally I ask professionals to arrange and then finally one song is created. I think I’ll produce the next songs in the same way.

03. You started with an exhibition in Paris last year. Why did you start with art and not with music? How did you feel your exhibition went? (Were you satisfied with the result?) Mikaru: I had painted so many works during that time so I decided I wanted to hold an exhibition of my painting works. We wondered which would be the best place to hold the exhibition, and then learned that Paris is famous as the city of arts. That’s simply the reason why we decided to hold it in Paris.
We started to search for galleries and contacted them. This was the very first time for us to do something like this, so we learned a lot about everything.
There were some girls who visited the galleries every day, while others came from countries really far away. There were a few chances for me during this time to talk to fans outside of a live venue, which is something I was never really able to do before. So it was very fulfilling to me. After everything settles down again I will pick up painting once more and wonder at what places I should hold an exhibition next time.

04. Inspiration is needed for everything. Where do you find the inspiration for your work if you had to make something here, right now?Mikaru: If I had to paint something now, I think I’ll paint by following my feelings. The surroundings dont’matter, I think what I feel or what I want and it will be reflected on the canvas as it is.
I think it’s like that when I compose too. I think I compose or paint what I feel at that time rather than saying something inspires me. I’m not too sure about it myself.

05. Especially painting and photography have a lot to do with scenery. Is there any place, anywhere in the world, where you’d like to go to to photograph or make a painting of while there?Mikaru: I really want to visit Egypt and the places that enable me to see auroras. Especially the auroras are something I really want to see. I’ve decided I’ll surely visit somewhere to see them before I die.

06. You combine a lot of things when it comes to music styles and art, but do you have a favorite? (Favorite style of music, art, photography etc.)Mikaru: I don’t mind that every art piece is more of an individual work rather than a unity with the others. Each painting has it’s own atmosphere and is therefore unique, so I don’t mind painting different things.
For instance, there’s an album which includes five songs. Those five songs can be unique songs each, as if to let you as the listener think each song is created by a different artist. It would be fun if I can produce such albums and songs.
I just do what I want to do at that time. Paradoxically my output (paintings, songs, jewelry) enables me to notice what I like, and that’s why I don’t know what I like myself right now.

07. When you started G.L.A.M.S you had in mind what you wanted. Do you feel like you achieved this, or did everything go different?Mikaru: When I started G.L.A.M.S I was only painting. I never thought that I would do music and jewelry as well.
I think that what I feel at that time makes G.L.A.M.S advance. It’s a kind of feeling and passion, so it’s likely that G.L.A.M.S can handle other arts besides jewelry, painting and music. But it also takes time to do them.
I’m not sure. At least I’m satisfied with those three arts, so I plan on mainly doing these now.

08. Do you have anything you would like to bring to your fans in the future? (Like a certain type of music or art?)Mikaru: I haven’t decided on paintings just yet, but the new songs are nearly completed. We’ll start recording them after this tour ends, and I think these new songs will be different in comparison with my first work “ANOTHER MOON”.
I want to produce songs that are more “heavy” or songs that can bring a fever during the lives. On the other hand, it includes a jazzy song. I think it will be an interesting CD.

09. If you could paint a painting about today with just two colors of paint, which colors would you use?Mikaru: Black and gold.

10. And finally… Do you have a message for everyone reading this interview?Mikaru: Thank you all so much for reading. G.L.A.M.S will continue to advance until I die, so please look forward to the “G.L.A.M.S future”, of which even I don’t know what it will be.
Let’s have a party when I visit the European countries!

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